The Area

A day trip to Endla Nature Reserve (only a few km away) is a must! Experience its unique wellspring area, eight bog massifs, divided by rivers with narrow flooded meadows or swamped forests, marked hiking trail, boardwalks, various forest communities, wooded meadow and bogs, protected bird and plant species. Partly overlapping hiking trails allow everyone to choose a nature trip within one’s powers. The towers give a beautiful view of swamped lakes. Since 2004, it is one of the Natura 2000 bird and nature areas. Various campgrounds and picnic places in the area. Open 24 hours. Free of charge. The visitors' centre of the nature reserve with an exposition is in Tooma, 3 km from Kärde. 

Jõgeva County's Village of the Year 2016  Kärde is located at an old, important postal road, close to Kärde hill with forest-covered Endla marsh behind it. Thanks to its 100 m elevation from the sea level, Kärde is known for its impressive sunsets. Golden fields and magnificent Highland cattle decorate the village. Close by are many lakes connected to old legends, like lake Männika, which was the dwell of Kalevipoeg and lake Endla, where supposedly the daughter of Vanemuine (an epic Estonian figure) called Juta used to live (there’s a Juta stone at the lakeside). Ask us for instructions to find them or book a private guided tour with us! 

First mentioned in 1532, the straw-roofed manor building hasn’t made it till today. It is the surviving park and a little wooden cottage in it that are more famous anyway. The Peace House is believed to be the place the Kärde Peace Treaty was signed in 1661. The treaty ended the war between Russia and Sweden. Kärde was home of German-Baltic nobility for more than 500 years. Last baron of Kärde was Victor von Stackelberg of the Piibe line. The Maiden’s Stone is on the grave of Margarethe Victoria von Stackelberg on Kärde Hill. The young lady drowned and the queer circumstances of her death created folk tales about her unhappy love affair with an ordinary peasant boy.